From P1Harmony to Zico, K-pop hotshots to perform in Abu Dhabi next month K-pop boy group P1Harmony / Courtesy of FNC EntertainmentBy Dong Sun-hwaMore than 10 K-pop stars are slated to perform at the HYPEROUND K-FEST in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sept. 10. Included in the lineup are rapper Zico, boy group P1Harmony and hip-hop music producer Woogie. Jay B, a member of K-pop act GOT7, soloist Paul Kim and singer-songwriter DVWN will also take the stage. Rapper Zico / Courtesy of Koz EntertainmentThese artists will perform at the Etihad Arena, which is known as one of the most iconic music and entertainment venues in the UAE. Concert production company Hyperound Events is organizing the upcoming event in cooperation with the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi and Yas Island, a popular leisure island located in the capital city of the UAE. “The upcoming one-day festival is anticipated to become an annual calendar event at the Etihad Arena,” Hyperround Events said in a statement. Aidana, the managing director of Hyperound Events, added, “This milestone concert is evidence of the growing popularity of East Asian artiAug 11, 2022By Dong Sun-hwa
BLACKPINK to start world tour in October The poster for BLACKPINK's upcoming world tour / Courtesy of YG Entertainment By Kim RahnK-pop girl group BLACKPINK will launch its largest world tour in October, visiting dozens of cities on four continents through next June. Its agency, YG Entertainment, said Tuesday for the group's world tour, “BORN PINK,” it plans to invite 1.5 million fans in total, the largest number for a K-pop girl act. BLACKPINK released the tour schedule for 36 concerts in 26 cities, saying more cities may be added.The tour will begin with two concerts in Seoul on Oct. 15 and 16. The group will then move to the U.S. for 10 concerts in seven cities. Afterwards, it will tour six European cities until the end of the year.In the new year, 11 concerts will be held in nine Asian cities through May, and the group will wrap up the tour with five concerts in three cities in Oceania. “We plan concerts not only in arenas but also in stadiums,” the agency said in a press release. “We are cooperating wAug 9, 2022By Kim Rahn
BLACKPINK to prerelease 'Pink Venom' on Aug. 19 A teaser image for "Pink Venom" / Courtesy of YG EntertainmentK-pop girl group BLACKPINK will unveil "Pink Venom," a track from its upcoming second studio album, on Aug. 19, its agency said Monday.The song and its music video will hit various music streaming services and YouTube at 1 p.m. on Aug. 19, YG Entertainment said."The combination of the color symbolizing BLACKPINK and the word meaning poison is intense," a company official said.A week ago, the quartet said in a teaser video that it will prerelease some of the highly anticipated album's tracks this month before dropping the album in September. In October, the group will begin its largest-ever world tour to meet its international fans.The upcoming album will mark the band's first project with all four members in one year and 10 months. The last release by the entire group was in October 2020 with the band's first full-length album, "The Album," including the main single "Lovesick Girls" and "How You Like That," a prereleased song. (Yonhap)Aug 8, 2022
Ateez hits No. 3 on Billboard 200, Enhypen sixth K-pop boy group Ateez / Courtesy of KQ EntertainmentK-pop boy group Ateez debuted at third on the U.S. Billboard's main albums chart with "The World Ep. 1: Movement."Billboard said Sunday (U.S. time) in a preview of this week's charts that Ateez notched its first top 10 on the Billboard 200 as its latest EP arrived at No. 3 with 50,000 equivalent album units earned. Physical album sales comprised 47,000 of the total, it added.The Billboard 200 ranks the most popular albums of the week in the United States, measured by equivalent album units, comprising physical album sales and other digital sales records."The World Ep. 1: Movement," released July 29, became the group's highest-charting album. The octet previously had gone as high as No. 42 in 2021 with "Zero: Fever Part. 3," an EP released in September.Boy group Enhypen also secured its first top 10 by debuting at No. 6 as its third EP, "Manifesto: Day 1," landed in sixth place.The band garnered 39,000 equivalent album units, of which 38,000 came from physical album sales."Manifesto: Day 1" topped iTunes top albums charts in 17 countAug 8, 2022
'Bad Decisions' tops iTunes charts in 74 countries In this file photo taken on November 20, 2020, South Korean K-pop boy band BTS members (L to R) V, Jin, Jung Kook, RM, Jimin and J-Hope pose during a press conference for their new album 'BE (Deluxe Edition)' in Seoul. AFP-Yonhap"Bad Decisions," a collaboration single by four BTS members ― Jin, Jimin, V and Jungkook ― U.S. producer-singer-songwriter Benny Blanco and rapper Snoop Dogg, topped iTunes charts in 74 countries Saturday, the group's agency said.Big Hit Music said the song, released the previous day, ranked No. 1 on iTunes Top Songs charts in the United States, Sweden, Norway, Canada, Italy and other countries as of 7 a.m.Its music video reached 10 million views on YouTube within 18 hours of its release, the company said."Bad Decisions" will be included on Blanco's third full-length album to be released later in the year, it said.Meanwhile, "Left and Right," a collaboration between Jungkook and U.S. singer-songwriter Charlie Puth, remained on the British Official Singles Chart for the sixth consecutive week, Big Hit Music said.The song, which debuted at No. 41 on the chart oAug 6, 2022
Girls' Generation is back with studio album marking 15th year Girls' Generation poses for the camera during a press conference in Seoul to promote its seventh studio album "Forever 1," Friday. YonhapGirls' Generation, one of the longest-running K-pop girl groups, made a highly anticipated comeback Friday, the anniversary of the day of its debut in 2007, with "Forever 1.""Forever 1," the group's seventh full-length album, marks its first group project since its previous LP "Holiday Night" five years ago."Today is the birthday of Girls' Generation," member Sooyoung said during a press conference at a hotel in southern Seoul to promote the upcoming album. "Actually, we had been discussing the comeback since we celebrated the 14th anniversary. But we felt we would like to roll out the album properly on the 15th anniversary."The bandmates then asked the group's agency SM Entertainment to give them more time to work on the new release, which the company agreed to, she recalled.The resulting studio album, which is set for digital release at 6 p.m. Friday, has a total of 10 tracks, including the title single "Forever 1." Among other tracks are "SeventeAug 5, 2022
Rookie girl group NewJeans makes impressive debut on charts K-pop girl group NewJeans / Courtesy of ADORNewJeans, the first girl group from an independent label under K-pop powerhouse Hybe, has made an impact on music charts at home and abroad upon its debut."Attention," a lead track of the group's debut EP, "New Jeans," topped Spotify's daily top songs chart in Korea on Monday, when it dropped, the global music streaming service said Wednesday.The album's three other tracks, "Hype Boy," "Cookie" and "Hurt," also placed second, fifth and 11th, respectively, on the same chart. The five-piece multinational group debuted Monday under the label ADOR with members ― Minji, Danielle, Hanni, Haerin and Hyein ― whose average age is 17.The K-pop rookie also entered daily top songs' charts in seven other countries or regions, including Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.In Vietnam, the home country of member Hanni, "Hype Boy," "Attention" and "Cookie" ranked 53rd, 55th and 67th, respectively, on the daily chart, while "Hurt" was at 104th. "Attention" reached 55th in Singapore.The song is also ranking high on other domestic charts.As of 7 a.m. ThuAug 4, 2022
BTS to resume 'Run BTS' variety show after 10-month break A teaser image for K-pop boy group BTS' own variety show titled "Run BTS," set to reopen on Aug. 16 after a 10-month break. Courtesy of Bighit MusicK-pop boy group BTS has announced the return of its own variety show, titled "Run BTS," after 10 months."'Run BTS' will finally make a return after a 10-month break," the band said in a teaser video it shared on social media Monday. "Please look forward to the release, because the show would be more fun after being recharged.""Run BTS" is a Korean web-based series starring the septet, which first began in August 2015 and has since released 156 episodes. The show announced a break after airing the last episode in October 2021.The weekly show will become available on Weverse, a K-pop fan community platform, Naver's V Live and YouTube, starting Aug. 16. (Yonhap)Aug 2, 2022
Girls' Generation, IVE, TWICE: iconic K-pop stars set for August releases Big-name K-pop acts to return to stage this month By Dong Sun-hwaAugust is going to be one of the biggest months for music fans this year, with a plethora of K-pop bigwigs putting out their new music offerings amid sweltering temperatures. Some of the most celebrated girl groups like Girls' Generation, IVE and TWICE are set to return to stage, while boy bands like The Boyz and CIX are also preparing for their fresh releases. The teaser featuring Taeyeon of Girls' Generation / Courtesy of SM EntertainmentThe first in the starting lineup is Girls' Generation, which is celebrating the 15th anniversary of its debut this year. The SM Entertainment act will drop its seventh full-length album, “FOREVER 1,” on Aug. 5. It will be fronted by the namesake lead single, a pop dance track with an energetic melody that will allow listeners to get in a festive mood. “Through its lyrics, the members will talk about their love for those who always support them,” SM explained in a statement. “KENZIE ― who gave birth to the group's numerous hits like 'Into The New World' (2Aug 1, 2022By Dong Sun-hwa
BLACKPINK to formally release new album in Sept., begin world tour in Oct. K-pop girl group BLACKPINK / Courtesy of YG EntertainmentBLACKPINK, a top K-pop girl group, will officially drop its highly-anticipated second studio album in September, the group's agency said Monday.It has been earlier announced that the quartet will return to the music scene this month with the new album. But YG Entertainment said in a video posted on its official blog for announcing broad schedules for the band's upcoming comeback that the group will prerelease some of the upcoming album's tracks this month and officially drop the album in September. In October, the group will begin its largest-ever world tour to meet its international fans, the agency added without giving exact dates or hours."The name for this comeback project is 'Born Pink,' which implies the identity of BLACKPINK, which is never ordinary and will exude a fatal aura," the agency said in a press release.The upcoming album will mark the band's first project with all four members in one year and 10 months. The last whole-group release was in October 2020 with the band's first full-length album "The Album," includAug 1, 2022
